Crystal Legacy - Generation 4 (Part 13)

 

Twins Amber and Calcite couldn't be any less alike. Where Cal is happy to stay at home with his piano and guitar, Amber has a desperate need to see unknown places and explore the wilds. Chasing a childhood dream into the jungle of Selvadorada, Amber finds a dream cut short...and Cal finds himself living for two lives, instead of just one.

A vacuum in deep outer space

That swallows all matter

Without any trace

Where life is suspended

In physics and time

Every word you said

Hangs like an unfinished rhyme

So I sit in the vacuum you left behind

And I sift through each phrase for an ember

For a spark that will light

Cause I can’t rewind

I unravel until I remember

Sitting on the roof

Of your beat-up car

When I was your orbit

And you were my star

But now you’re a black hole

And I am left numb

From the loop of these memories

The loop of the

Calcite: The loop of the…

Nova: Drum.

Calcite: Nova–

Nova: Come away from the edge, Cal.

Calcite: Wha–it’s one story!  I’m not going to–

Nova: Cal. Please.

Calcite: …okay. Okay.

Calcite: I really wasn’t going to–Amber and I used to come up here all the time, we never–

Nova: It didn’t have to be on purpose, Cal. Did you get any sleep?

Calcite: A little, I. I didn’t wake you, did I? I just needed some air and I–

Nova: Hey, hey, it’s okay. We’re all okay.

Calcite: No we’re not. Amber’s…Amber’s dead, Mama’s broken, and Ma’s not even dealing with it. 

Nova: Cal, everyone grieves differently.

Calcite: They wouldn’t be if I hadn’t been so stupid!

Nova: …what do you mean? Cal, this isn’t your fault.

Calcite: Yes it is! If I hadn’t started that stupid fight before she left she wouldn’t have–she would still be here, she…she…

Nova: Cal, no. You can’t…it wasn’t your fault. It was an accident, babe. You didn’t kill her.

Cal: I may as well have! She was my sister–one half of me! I was supposed to have her back!

Nova: Cal…having someone’s back doesn’t mean always agreeing with them. Sometimes it means stopping them from doing something that could hurt them. You tried your best with what you had.

Calcite: I still shouldn’t have..I should have…

Nova: Oh, babe. You’ve been blaming yourself this whole time, haven’t you?

Calcite: Of course I have! It’s my fault!

Nova: What, so you poisoned your sister with a fast-acting poison from a few thousand miles away?

Calcite: Wha–no! No, that’s not–

Nova: Because that’s what happened. It was an accident, Cal. It’s terrible, and it’s okay to hurt and grieve, but it wasn’t your fault. 

Calcite: But she–Amber–

Nova: Made her own decisions. I didn’t know her well, but I know she wanted to go to Selva with all her heart. I don’t think she had any regrets about it.

Nova: And I do know that she loved you. Even if you were fighting, you were still her brother. She wouldn’t blame you for something that had nothing to do with her death.

Calcite: But she–she’s still gone! I should have stopped her from leaving–

Nova: You tried. We all have to make our own choices, Cal. You’re not responsible for the actions others take!

Calcite: She was my sister! I was supposed to take care of her, of Ma and Mama, not–

Calcite: I can’t–I can’t just–

Nova: Cal–Cal, babe, look at me.

Calcite: It’s all my fault, Nova! I don’t–I can’t just–

Nova: It is not your fault! You don’t have to hold it together, you can let go.

Nova: Oh just–come here. Come here, I’ve got you.

Calcite: Amber, she’s–

Nova: Shh, shh…I know. I know.

*broken sobbing*

Saffron: Cal, you–you what?

Calcite: It’s my fault. My fault that Amber’s gone, that Mama’s…

Saffron: Cal…oh, honey, no. No, it is not your fault!

Calcite: Yes it is. If I hadn’t started that stupid fight…if I’d backed her up like I was supposed to, she wouldn’t…she wouldn’t have…

Saffron: Cal…

Saffron: No. Calcite Crystal, you look at me. This was not your fault.

Calcite: But I…

Saffron: No. Stop. Listen to me.

Saffron: What happened to Amber was….it’s terrible. She is gone and nothing…nothing’s going to….*sniff* It’s done. But that does not mean it’s because of you. You didn’t do this.

Calcite: But…

Saffron: No. No buts. The fight was stupid, and I know you’d have apologized if you could have, but that doesn’t mean it was your fault what happened to her. One thing had nothing to do with the other.

Calcite She was distracted…

Saffron: Who, your sister? Distracted when she finally got where she wanted to? Cal.

Amber: It was just a…terrible, terrible accident, baby. The only person who’s to blame is whoever put the poison there in the first place, and they’re a few thousand years dead! This isn’t on you.

Calcite: Ma…

Saffron: No, baby. This wasn’t your fault. I can promise you that.

Calcite: ….I’m sorry.

Saffron: Me too, baby. Me too.

Nova: Mind if I sit with you?

Calcite: …I’m not gonna be good company.

Nova: Not asking you to be.

Calcite: You…you know you don’t have to stay, right? I…you have a life, Nova…

Nova: And you’re part of it. A big part of it. I want to be here, babe. I just…wish it had been under better circumstances.

Calcite: Me too…*snort* Watcher, I just…I thought I’d have a chance to apologize to more than a gravestone!

Nova: I know, babe. I know.

Calcite: I don’t even know…how do we move past this? Gran and Gram were…Amber’s…

Nova: It takes time, babe. Even then…*sigh* I don’t know. One breath at a time, I guess.

Calcite: …it feels like I can’t even do that without her. Like she…took that with her when she left.

Nova: She’s still your twin, even if she’s…not here anymore. She’s still with you.

Calcite: Is she?

Nova: Cal?

Calcite: ….never mind.

Nova: Hey, don’t do that. You can tell me anything.

Calcite; I just. *sigh* After that last fight, I just…I wonder if she’d…even want to come back at all.

Nova: Oh, Cal.

Calcite: Don't tell me the fight wasn’t my fault.

Nova: You did start it, but…babe, a stupid argument wouldn’t keep family from coming home. You two would have made up, I’m sure of it.

Calcite: ….

Nova: She was your sister, your twin. No matter what happened you two love each other, right?

Calcite: Right.

Nova: Then this wouldn’t have changed that. Not really.

Calcite: I know…I just…I wish I’d gotten to tell her I was sorry.

Nova: Pretty sure she knows, babe. She had to have known, even before this.

Calcite: How can you be so sure?

Nova: Because I know you? And so did she. She’d know it only came from worry. I’m not saying you…didn’t overreact, didn’t go too far, but. I believe she knew it came from love. You can, too.

Calcite: Just like that?

Nova: Just like that. 

Calcite: I miss her…I miss her so much…

Nova: I know you do, babe. I know.

🎶

Moonstone: Cal?

Calcite: In the study!

Calcite: Sorry, did I wake you?

Moonstone: Mm. That’s your lullaby, isn’t it?

Calcite: Yeah. I can stop–

Moonstone: No.

Moonstone: It’s your lullaby, too. Does it help?

Calcite: A little. I miss her, Mama.

Moonstone: I know, baby…I miss her, too. So much it hurts, but…but so long as we have this song, it’s like…like a piece of her lives on in us, somehow.

Calcite: Like she’s still here with us.

Amber: But I am right here….

Three years later…

Calcite: Hey, sis. Been a while.

Calcite: Hope you weren’t too lonely over the winter. We got busy.

Calcite: Nova moved in with us, and we all started making music together We’re actually working on a musical for the stage, if you can believe it. You should see how good he is with lyrics.. 

Calcite: Like, he’s amazing already, but you give that man a pen and an hour and he’ll have a damn sonnet written for you!

Calcite: He’s even got Ma and Mama working again. Mama’s even taking up singing a little. I think she likes it.

Calcite: She sounds pretty amazing, too. I hope you could hear her.

Calcite: It’s still not the same without you, though. We haven’t touched your room…three years of dust in there. Good thing you don’t need it anymore.

Calcite: Oh! I haven’t even started telling you what the others are up to, either.

Calcite: Corona got married the spring after you…well. She and Peppermint already have a son, amazingly enough. He’s named Peppermint, too. And yeah, that can get…confusing.  Maré went on to open a restaurant and she’s practically married to her work already.

Calcite: Lacus moved to the city. He’s on the Ninjas now, and last I knew he was scoring pretty high. Palus…kind of vanished. We haven’t seen him in over a year, but he calls every few weeks. He seems good, so. I guess there’s that.

Calcite: Everyone else is doing okay. We’re getting by one day at a time and…oh, right. I almost forgot. I’m going to ask Nova to marry me tonight. I hope he says yes.

Calcite: I should get going so I can get ready. I promise, I’ll come by more often from now on. Love you.

Amber: …little brother all grown up, huh? 

Nova: That was wonderful, Cal. Thanks for inviting me.

Calcite: Of course. I don’t know where we’d be without you. Where I would be without you.

Nova: You’d have managed.

Calcite: Mm, maybe, but still. I know these past few years haven’t been the…best.

Nova: Is it…weird if I say they were better than okay? For me, at least.

Calcite: What do you mean?

Nova: Well, what happened to Amber…that was bad. And I wish you and your family didn’t have to go through it at all, but. …I’m…glad that I was here. That I got to stay with you.

Nova: I mean, I was going to ask you to move in with me that year anyway, but.

Calcite: But then life happened. *chuckle* No, it’s not weird to say it was better than okay. I’ve really liked having you here, too. And…honestly? I’d have asked you to move in, too.

*both laugh*

Nova: Well, at least we don’t have to worry about that anymore. So, what now?

Calcite: What do you mean, what now?

Nova: Come on, Cal. Even I know this is leading to something.

Calcite: I can’t just bring my handsome boyfriend on a date?

Nova: Cal. Babe. I know you.

Calcite: *laugh* You do. Okay…okay. *deep breath* Can I ask you something?

Nova: Anything.

Calcite: What’re your plans for the future?

Nova: What?

Calcite: Your plans for the future. I mean, you’re an established composer with credits as long as your arm. You could get a gig anywhere, do anything. Do you have any plans?

Nova: Nothing that changes who and what we are, if that’s why you’re asking. 

Nova: I guess I don’t really have any plans, per-se. Just taking it one day at a time. Why do you ask?

Calcite: Well…*deep breath*  What I’m asking is…would you be willing to take it one day at a time…with me?

Nova: …Cal are you asking me to…

Calcite: I am. Nova, will you marry me?

Nova: Yes! Oh, Cal…yes, I will.

Later…

Calcite: Your parents took that pretty well for it being a vid-call.

Nova: Hey, it is not my fault they were on Sixam today! *laugh* If they wanted to be here in person for that, they should have been.

Calcite: *laugh* I just hope your Ma doesn’t kill me for springing this on her.

Nova: Like I’d let her try! *laugh* They’re going to love you, you know.

Calcite: I hope so. I can’t wait to meet them in person.

Nova: It’ll be great.

Nova: How will your mothers take this, do you think?

Calcite: Are you kidding? You’re already part of the family! This just makes it official, that’s all.

Calcite: They’re gonna be so excited, I…wait. Who’s that?

Calcite: Solana?!

Nova: The guide from…wait. She has a child with her.

Calcite: Solana! This is a surprise. Who’s this?

Solana: This is my daughter. And…

Solana: She’s Amber’s.

Calcite: …what.

Nova: by the Balance….

Amber: …I have a daughter.

Solana: I’m so sorry to just drop in like this, but I didn’t…I don’t know what else to do.

Saffron: Amber had a daughter. Our baby…

Moonstone: Had a baby. Oh, Watcher…*soft sob* Amber…

Nova: How old is she?

Solana: Just…just over two years old. Amber and I, we…there was, I mean…

Calcite: You don’t have to explain yourself. What’s her name?

Solana: She doesn’t…I didn’t know what to…*sigh* I’ve been calling her “estrellita”, but…I didn’t know what to name her. I didn’t….I don’t know what Amber would have named her.

Saffron: …we never talked about that. I don’t know, either. She…

Calcite: Citrine. Maybe Topaz?

Solana: ….I like Citrine. 

Calcite: Then Citrine it is. But that doesn’t answer why you’re here with her now. 

Nova: Cal?

Calcite: It’s…*sigh* Look, I’m…I’m glad to see her, it’s just…it’s been almost three years since Amber died. Even if you weren’t sure she was Amber’s before….Why not contact us sooner?

Solana: ….I was afraid you would take her away.

Moonstone: Oh, Solana.

Solana: She’s Amber’s daughter, and you’re all her family. You have a claim to her and I…she’s my daughter, too, and I couldn’t lose her! I just…I couldn’t….

Amber: …they’re not like that. They wouldn’t have taken her.

Calcite: We wouldn’t have just taken her, Solana. Shes your girl, not…

Saffron: Knowing she existed would have been enough! It would have…knowing she…ah, geez…how do we even put this?

Moonstone: We would have wanted to be a part of her life, not take you from hers.

Solana: ….I can tell, but…that’s not why I’m here now. I can’t keep her any longer.

Amber: What.

Nova: I’m sorry?

Solana: My work, Alam…it’s no place to raise a child. I brought her here so she could grow up with family. With you.

Calcite: You want us to raise your daughter.

Nova: Cal…babe…

Amber: Don’t you dare do anything stupid!

Solana: I…yes. She…there is no one else, Calcite, I don’t ask this of you lightly, I just.

Calcite: *sigh* It’s a lot.

Nova: Babe?

Calcite: Do you…is this as my niece or as my daughter?

Solana: ….

Calcite: Do you want to be a part of her life, Solana, or is this…is this you saying goodbye?

Solana: I…I want what’s best for her, and that is not me. My life, my work…Miradora, I don’t know what I’m doing, but she…she deserves better than I can give her, I don’t–

Amber: Oh, Sol.